


I Can't Be Elusive With You

by PurpleProsaist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Eavesdropping, Ficlet, Fluff, Honey, M/M, Pre-Quest, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 13:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21904936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleProsaist/pseuds/PurpleProsaist
Summary: "Take some bread with that, at theleast."Someone takes notice of Frodo's peculiar snacking habit.
Relationships: Bilbo Baggins & Frodo Baggins, Frodo Baggins & Sam Gamgee, Frodo Baggins/Sam Gamgee
Comments: 10
Kudos: 35





	I Can't Be Elusive With You

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to @pixiesinthegarden on tumblr for reading this over & offering some incredibly helpful suggestions! ♥

Frodo peered into the kitchen before stepping in on silent feet. By the wash of clarity from the window, it was about mid-day or so, and Bilbo must have been shut away elsewhere in Bag End. It wasn't that the stealth was exactly necessary, but Frodo simply preferred to be alone for the moment, silly as he felt. 

Nonetheless, he was grinning in anticipation as he strode across the room to fetch the honey jar from its cabinet, and sought no more than a single spoon. It was a precarious task, to fill the spoon even partway without dripping it all over the counter. But the gilded sweetness, so leisurely its nature as it settled, coating his tongue, was a worthy reward. He quietly sighed, leaning on an elbow, settling himself into the parallel gilded sweetness of the day: the golden Sun on the golden Shire, the fragrance of roses on the breeze, the distant twittering of birds, the nearby snipping of garden shears. 

Time seemed to dissolve slowly alongside the aching sweet of the honey. He had two, maybe three partial spoonfuls, idling in heartsease. 

"Frodo," came Bilbo's voice, "Having a little sup?" 

Frodo turned, nodding. 

"Are you—" his cousin's face screwed up in apparent distaste, "You're just eating honey, plain, straight from the jar, lad? Take some bread with that, at the _least_." 

Laughing, Frodo waved him off, "No, thank you. It's best this way." 

With a good-natured grumble of disagreement, Bilbo retrieved something — perhaps whatever he had come in for, or just as easily something different, but Frodo was looking out into the garden and did not see what it was either way — then walked out again, leaving Frodo alone with his warm, incoherent thoughts of fondness and family and Summer. 

* * *

The next time Sam brought him tea, the whole jar of honey was there beside the teapot, as opposed to the much smaller pot of honey he usually left _'for adjustments as needed.'_ There was usually no need. Now, also, an extra spoon was set out. Although Sam had thought to include a few small pastries and a bowl of berries, there wasn't a single slice of bread to be seen. 

The entire tray, as it often was, had been unasked-for, though far from unwelcome. "Sam, thank you!" he exclaimed in heartfelt delight as Sam set it down in front of him. Then Frodo set the book he'd been reading aside, sat up straight, and decisively asked, "Why, you've brought two spoons. Certainly you mean to partake, then?" 

"Oh, that weren't what that spoon— I, I mean..." Sam stammered, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, sir." He stopped there, without any explanation of what the apology was _for_, which concerned Frodo far more than the commonalities of Sam's reddened cheeks and averted eyes. Surely he wasn't ashamed for overhearing a conversation, about nothing particularly private, spoken aloud? Both Frodo and Bilbo had known the window was open, had known Sam was out in the garden. (Bilbo, they both knew, was particularly aware about such things.) 

Frodo was immediately determined to put his friend — and one of the _sweetest_ hobbits he knew, came a pointed thought — at ease. "It's all right, Sam, I promise," Frodo tried to soothe, feeling his own face warm, "I was teasing, but I truly would love it if you joined me. Please, sit with me, if you will, and— And would you like to try the honey?" 

"Aye," Sam smiled, irresistably, and then sat, "I will. And I would, at that." 

"Please, then, don't you get up again. I'll worry about getting myself a cup for tea in a moment." 

"Oh! Begging your pardon, but I brought _that_ cup for _you_, sir." By the shift in Sam's countenance, a certain coy grin Frodo found himself missing from time to time, he could tell Sam was playing along. 

"Well, how kind of you," Frodo murmured in turn, feeling like his face was splitting, and helpless to it, as he began measuring out an ample first spoonful.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a small thing, written within a day, to assuage my constant craving for fluff. 
> 
> Any honest feedback you may happen to have is beyond appreciated! Still! Entirely regardless of feedback nor your ultimate opinion, I'm blessed that you've checked out this little page. And I do hope you've at least somewhat enjoyed, and thanks for reading! ♥


End file.
